Pattern attachment for tufting machines



Sept. 21, 1965 J. L. CARD ETAL PATTERN ATTACHMENT FOR TUFTING MACHINES 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 9, 1962 INVENTORS Joseph L. Card Bernard H.Wiffler uar /n Flg.l

A TTORNEY WITNESS mmy Sept. 21, 1965 J. L. CARD Em. 3,207,105

PATTERN ATTACHMENT FOR TUFTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 9, 1962 5Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Joseph L. Card Bernard H .Wiffler WITNESSZc/war /O/ ATTORNEY Sept. 21, 1965 J. CARD ETAL PATTERN ATTACHMENT FORTUFTING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 9, 1962 INVENTORS Joseph L.Card Bernard H. Wiff/er WITNESS ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,207,105PATTERN ATTACHMENT FOR TUFTING MACHINES Joseph L. Card, Chattanooga,Tenn., and Bernard H.

Wittler, Rossville, Ga., assignors, by mesne assignments,

to The Singer Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey FiledNov. 9, 1962, Ser. No. 236,641 13 Claims. (Cl. 112-79) The presentinvention relates to a pattern attachment for tufting machines or, moreparticularly, to a pattern controlled yarn feeding mechanism for atufting machine, which mechanism will feed a predetermined length ofyarn to different needles to the tufting machine upon each stitch,thereby producing in the article being tufted a pattern defined byvariations in the height of the pile.

There are various types of pattern attachments available today, eachhaving certain recognized advantages but also having disadvantages whichtend to limit the adaptability of the mechanism to certaincircumstances. For example, the desirable characteristics of a patternattachment include a positive feed of the yarn whereby each yarn will befed without slipping despite the resistance to pulling the yarn from thespool, which resistance varies between the yarns because of thedifferent distances of the individual yarn spools from the tuftingmachine. The desirable characteristics of a pattern attachment alsoinclude a facility for changing the pattern as well as simple,trouble-free operation.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a patternattachment for tufting machines which is an improvement of existingpattern attachments in that it combines the advantages of such existingattachments while minimizing the disadvantages thereof. Moreparticularly, the objects of this invention are to provide a patternattachment that is universally applicable to a wide range ofcircumstances that may, exist, that is, a mechanism wherein the meansfor changing patterns is a simple and inexpensive thereby rendering thesame useful on tufting machines where the run of any one pattern isrelatively small, wherein the feed of yarn is positive such that themechanism is useful with small tufting machines where the yarn spoolsare all relatively close to the machine as well as with large tuftingmachines Where some of the yarn spools are located at a considerabledistance from the machine, and wherein the mechanism is relativelysimple and trouble-free in operation.

The mechanism in accordance with this invention comprises basically apair of intermeshing sets of slats or bars in which the free or yarnengaging edges of the slats of one set are provided with alternatingdeep and shallow yarn receiving grooves, and there is provided a yarnguide adapted to be shifted between two adjacent grooves. In thismanner, the yarn is directed selectively into cooperation with eitherthe shallow or the deep groove and as the slats are advanced, thedeflection of the yarn by the slats as they intermesh with the slats ofthe other set will pull either a large or small amount of yarn and feedit to the tufting mechanism. The yarn guide is adapted to be shifted forexample by a solenoid, the energization of which may be by any suitablepattern mechanism such as a pattern drum of electrically conductivematerial and on which the pattern is placed by an insulating material,which drum is tracked by a finger that is electrically connected to thesolenoid.

Having in mind the above and other objects that will be evident from anunderstanding of this disclosure, the invention comprises the devices,combinations and arrangements of parts as illustrated in the presentlypreferred embodiment of the invention which is hereinafter 3,207,105Patented Sept. 21, 1965 set forth in such detail as to enable thoseskilled in the art readily to understand the function, operation,construction and advantages of it when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view transversely through a tufting machineembodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the yarn feed membersand a movable yarn guide of the machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a detail transverse sectional view of the yarn feed membersand a movable yarn guide of the machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary end view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating amodification of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the yarn feeding mechanismof the machine of FIG. 5.

With reference to the drawings, the illustrated portion of the tuftingmachine comprises a frame 1 that includes a bed plate 2 over which thebacking fabric 3 is moved by the backing fabric feed means whichcomprises a plurality of cloth feed rolls 4 at the input side of themachine and a pair of cloth feed rolls 5 at the output side. Journaledlongitudinally of the frame 1 in the upper portion thereof is a rotarymain shaft 6 upon which is mounted an elec trio 7 embraced by the upperend of a link 8. At its lower end the link 8 is connected to an endwisereciprocating rod 9 mounted in a bushing 10 in the frame 1 and carryingat its lower end a needle bar 11. Mounted in the needle bar 11 is aneedle 12 which is adapted to be reciprocated through the backing fabric3 and a needle plate 13 on the bed plate 2 and which supports thebacking fabric against the thrust of the needle. Beneath the bed plate 2there is journaled an oscillating hook shaft 14 which carries a hook 15that cooperates with the needle 12 in the formation of tufted pile.

It will of course be understood that, in the machine, there are aplurality of sets of needles and cooperating hooks mounted in the needlebar 9 and on the hook shaft 14. However, since each of the needles andhooks are the same, it will be suflicient for this disclosure todescribe only one such set.

The yarn 16 from the source is directed to a shiftable yarn guide orfinger 17, through a yarn feed mechanism, designated generally 18,through a pair of yarn guides 19 and 19a, over a so-called thread jerkerbar 20, carried by the needle bar 11, and through a further guide 21,carried by the needle bar 11 to the needle 12.

The main shaft 6, the hook shaft 14, and the cloth feed rolls 4 and 5may be driven in any suitable manner (not shown). All of the above maybe conventional tufting machine structure and is therefore not morefully described herein. For a more complete description of themechanism, reference .may be had to the US. patent of Card, 'No.2,935,037, May 3, 1960.

The yarn feed mechanism 17, which is the subject of this invention,comprises, in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 14, three yarn feedmembers in the form of rolls 22, 23 and 24 secured upon shafts 25, 26and 27 journaled in plates 28 carried by the frame 1. Each of the shafts25, 26 and 27 are adapted to be driven by drive mechanism (not shown),for example, chains and sprockets, from the main drive of the machine.Because the feed rolls 22, 23 and 24 are of the same diameter, thespeeds at which the shafts 25, 26 and 27 are to be driven would be thesame.

The feed roll 22 comprises a hub 29 that is secured to the shaft 25 forrotation by a set screw 30, and is provided on the periphery thereofwith a plurality of yarn engaging elements in the form of elongatedrectangular slats 31. More particularly, each of the slats 31 arearranged with the long dimension thereof eXtending longitudinally of thefeed roll 22 parallel to the axis there-of and are disposed in equallyspaced relation angularly about the periphery of the hub 29, and arearranged on edge with the short dimension thereof extending radiallyfrom the periphery of the hub 29, thereby defining a free oryarn-engaging edge 32. As ill-ustrated, to secure the slats 31 to thehub 29, the ends of the hub (only one end of which is illustrated) is ofenlarged diameter to provide a flange 33 having slats 34 in which theslats 31 are seated and in which they are secured in pairs 'by setscrews 35 that are threaded radially into bores 36 of reducing diameterin the flange 33, the flange being split as at 3611 through the axis ofthe set screws 33 so that the opposed portions of the flange between thescrews 35 and the adjacent slats 31 are forced outwardly into clampingengagement with the slats as the screws 33 are turned down.

The slats 31 are all identical and each includes grooves or notchesextending inwardly from the free edge 32 thereof, the notches comprisingalternating shallow notches 37 and deep notches 38.

The feed rolls 23 and 24 are the same as the feed roll 22 except thatthey are provided with slats 39, the slats 39 being the same as theslats 31 except that, instead of the alternating shallow and deepnotches 37 and 38, they are provided with a continuous repeatingarrangement of shallow notches 40 extending inwardly from the free edgethereof. Alternatively, the slats 39 could of course be provided withV-shaped grooves defining a saw-tooth arrangement.

The notches in each of the slats 31 and 39 are of equal width and areuniformly spaced along the slats so that all of the correspondingnotches in each of the slats are alined in the direction of motion ofthe slats which is the direction in which the slats are advanced as therolls are rotated, or more particularly, are alined in a plane normal tothe axis of the feed roll.

Since the notches in the slats 31 of the feed roll 22 alternate betweenthe shallow notches 37 and deep notches 38, the alined series of notchesabout the feed roll 22 are made up of alternating series of shallow anddeep notches. The adjacent pairs of alined shallow and deep notchesdefine a single yarn path, that is, a single yarn or group of yarnsbeing handled together are shifted between the notches of the adjacentpair.

The feed rolls 22, 23 and 24 are arranged triangularly as illustrated inFIG. 4 with the slats 39 of the feed rolls 23 and 24 intermeshing withthe slats 31 of the feed roll 22. A yarn is directed by the finger 17into one of the notches in the slat 31 of the feed roll 22, which asillustrated in FIG. 4, is one of the deep notches 38. As the feed rollsare rotated, this yarn will remain in the slot into which it has beendirected and will be carried into engagement first with the slats 39 ofthe feed roll 24, being engaged in the notches 40 therein. As the slats31 of the feed roll 22 inter-mesh progressively with the .slats 39 ofthe feed roll 24, the yarn is undulated, thereby pulling yarn from thesource and as the feed rolls continue to rotate, the engaged portion ofthe yarn will pass out of cooperation with the feed roll 24 and intocooperation with the feed roll 23, and will subsequently be released tothe needle. The amount of yarn that is pulled from the source andsubsequently released to the needle depends upon the amount ofundulation imparted to the yarn, which in turn depends upon whether theyarn was placed by the finger 17 in one of the deep notches 38, whichwill produce a relatively small undulation and will therefore pull arelatively small length of yarn from the source, or in one of theshallow notches 37 which will produce a relatively large undulation andwill therefore pull a relatively large length of yarn from the source.By shifting the finger 17 back and forth between the shallow and deepnotches, there can be obtained any desired combination between the twolengths.

In the usual manner, the amount of yarn released to the needle by meansof the shallow notches 37 is made to be substantially equal to theamount of yarn required to form a full length loop, whereas the amountof yarn released to the needle by means of the deep notches 38 is lessso that there is not suflicient yarn to form a full length loop, therebyproducing a loop that is of less length than the full length loop.

The means for shifting the yarn between the shallow notches 37 and thedeep notches 38, which means includes the finger 17, is substantiallythe same as that disclosed in the above noted Patent No. 2,935,037.Briefly, this mechanism comprises a housing 41 mounted on the frame 1 ofthe machine and having a plurality of vertically disposed pivot rods 42mounted on the side thereof, each of said pivot rods 42 carrying one ofthe fingers 17. Each of the pivot rods 42 has an arm 43 that extendsinto the housing 41 and is connected with the armature of a solenoid 44and there is provided a spring 45 for returning the arm to its normalposition. Thus, when a solenoid 44 is energized, the finger 17associated therewith is pivoted to direct the yarn into the example ashallow notch 37 and when the solenoid 44 is de-energized, the spring 45returns the finger 17 to direct the yarn into a deep notch 38.

The solenoid 44 is energized by a pattern cont-rolled means comprising arotatable drum 46 mounted on the frame 1 and adapted to be rotated insynchronism with the machine. The drum 46 is made of a conductingmaterial upon the surface of which is placed an insulating material 46athat is laid out to define the desired pattern. There is provided afinger 47 for each of the solenoids 44 (only one of the fingers 47 beingillustrated), which fingers engage the periphery of the drum 46 andwhich are electrically connected as by wires 48 with the respectivesolenoid. The drum and solenoid are connected to the opposite sides of asource of electrical power. Thus, as the drum 46 rotates, the fingerwill engage the surface of the drum 46 in those areas where there is noinsulating material 4611, thereby energizing the solenoid 44. When thefinger 46 is insulated from the drum 46 by the insulating material 46a,the solenoid 44 is de-energized.

The use of a pair of feed rolls 23 and 24 insures a positive feed byproviding sufficient friction in the undulation of the yarn to preventslippage, and at the same time, insures that the roll 24 will draw yarnfrom the source and not from the work. It will of course 'be apparentthat under certain circumstances, a single roll could be used in lieu ofthe rolls 23 and 24.

The dimensions, speed and spacing of the feed rolls 22, 23 and 24 may ofcourse be varied. One of the considerations relative to the design ofthe feed mechanism is that the intermeshing of the slats 31 and 39 besufiicient to provide a yarn capacity in accordance with the amount ofyarn required by the high and low pile being produced. The diameter ofthe rolls and the spacing of the slats angularly about the rolls can bedetermined by space considerations and the necessity of avoidinginterference between the slats as they mesh. The speed of the rollsrelative to each other would be determined by the relative diameters ofthe rolls, that is, with rolls of the same dimension as illustrated, thespeeds Would be the same. The rolls are driven in synchronism with themachine to deliver prescribed lengths of yarn to the needles upon eachstitch.

It will also be apparent that the grooves 40 in the slats 39 of the feedrolls 23 and 24 function as guides which assist in maintaining the yarnin the desired path. Further, with the grooves 40 in the slats 39, thefinger 17 could direct the yarn into adjacent grooves 40 in the slats 39of the feed roll 24 for example rather than into the adjacent grooves 37and 38 of the slats 31.

With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 there is illustrated a modification ofthe invention in which the yarn engaging elements or slats are mountedon endless, flexible members, i.e., chains, rather than on rolls as inthe embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-4. In thisembodiment, there is mounted on the frame 1 of the tufting machine asupport 49 which carries a pair of cooperating yarn feed members 50 and51, in the form of feed chains, each of which comprises a drivensprocket 52 and a pair of idlers 53 about which is run a chain 54 and55. The feed members 50 and 51 are arranged with the run of the chains54 and 55 between the idlers 53 spaced and parallel, and there areprovided bars 56 backing up the chains in the runs between the idlers 53to confine them against deflection.

While only a single chain mechanism is shown, it will be understood thata plurality of such chain mechanisms are provided along the length ofthe machine and extending between the chains 54 of the feed member 50are yarn engaging elements or slats 57 while extending between thechains 55 of the feed member 51 are yarn engaging elements or slats 58.For the purpose of securing the slats 57 and 58 to the chains 54 and 55,the slats may be T-shaped in cross section with the bases 59 thereofsecured to arms 60 formed on the links of the chains as illustrated inFIG. 6.

The slats 58 are similar to the slats 31 in that they include a freeedge 32a in which is formed inwardly extending notches or grooves 37aand 38a which are shallow and deep respectively and alternate along thelength of the slat. The slats 57 are similar to the slats 39 in thatthey are provided With shallow notches 40a extending inwardly from thefree edges thereof.

The operation of the mechanism in accordance with the embodiment of theinvention illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 is the same as that of theembodiment of FIGS. 14. The yarn 3 is directed by the finger 17 intocooperation with either one of the deep grooves 38a or one of theshallow grooves 37a, thereby delivering prescribed lengths of yarn tothe needles. The advantage of the chain type feed members is that therecan be obtained a greater number of the slats 57 and 58 in mesh, thusproviding a more positive feed, and, by using id-lers 53 of relativelysmall diameter, the slats are turned sharply as they are brought intoand out of mesh.

Numerous alterations of the structure herein disclosed will suggestthemselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understoodthat the present disclosure relates to a preferred embodiment of myinvention which is for purposes of illustration only and not to beconstrued as a limitation of the invention. All such modifications whichdo not depart from the spirit of the invention are intended to beincluded within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what We claim hereinis:

1. In a tufting machine, a yarn feeding mechanism comprising a pair ofcooperating yarn feeding members each consisting of a plurality ofspaced and parallel yarn engaging elements having free edges, means formounting said members with a plurality of said elements in said membersintermeshing and for advancing said elements progressively in parallelintermeshing relation, each of the elements of one of said membershaving a substantially similar arrangement of adjacent pairs of notchesextending inwardly from the free edge thereof, said pairs of notchescomprising a deep notch and a shallow notch, said elements of said oneof said pair of members being arranged with the corresponding notches ineach of said elements alined in the direction of motion of saidelements, shiftable yarn guide means for directing a yarn selectivelyinto said shallow notches and said deep notches, and pattern controlledmeans for actuating said shiftable yarn guide means.

2. In a tufting machine, a yarn feeding mechanism comprising a pair ofcooperating yarn feeding members each consisting of a plurality ofspaced and parallel yarn engaging elements having free edges, means formounting said members with a plurality of said elements in said membersintermeshing and for advancing said elements progressively in parallelintermeshing relation, each of the elements of one of said membershaving notches extending inwardly from the free edge thereof, saidnotches comprising alternating deep and shallow notches and beingarranged with the corresponding notches in each of said elements alinedin the direction of motion of said elements, shiftable yarn guide meansfor directing yarn into a selected one of an adjacent pair of saidnotches, and pattern controlled means for actuating said shiftable yarnguide means.

3. In a tufting machine, a yarn feeding mechanism comprising a pair ofcooperating yarn feeding members each consisting of a plurality ofspaced and parallel yarn engaging elements having free edges, means formounting said members with a plurality of said elements in said membersintermeshing and for advancing said elements progressively in parallelintermeshing relation, the elements of one of said members beingsubstantially the same and each having notches extending inwardly fromthe free edge thereof, said notches comprising alternating deep andshallow notches, shiftable yarn guide means for directing yarn into aselected one of an adjacent pair of said notches, and pattern controlledmeans for actuating said shiftable yarn guide means.

4. In a tufting machine, a yarn feeding mechanism comprising a pair ofcooperating yarn feeding members each consisting of a plurality ofspaced and parallel yarn engaging elements having free edges, means formounting said members with a plurality of said elements in each of saidmembers intermeshing and for advancing said elements progressively inparallel intermeshing relation, the elements of each of said membersbeing substantially the same as all other elements of that member andthe elements of both of said members having notches extending inwardlyfrom the free edges thereof, the notches in the elements of one of saidmembers comprising alternat ing deep and shallow notches and the notchesin the elements of the other of said members comprising notches ofuniform depth, the corresponding notches in all of said elements of bothof said members being alined in the direction of motion of saidelements, shiftable yarn guide means for directing yarn into a selectedone of an adjacent pair of said notches, and pattern controlled meansfor actuating said shiftable yarn guide means.

5. In a tufting machine, a yarn feeding mechanism comprising a pair ofcooperating yarn feeding members each being continuous and consisting ofa plurality of uniformly spaced and parallel yarn engaging elementshaving free edges, means for mounting said members with a plurality ofsaid elements in said members intermeshing and for advancing saidelements progressively in parallel intermeshing relation, each of theelements of one of said members having notches extending inwardly fromthe free edge thereof, said notches comprising alternating deep andshallow notches and being arranged with the corresponding notches ineach of said elements alined in the direction of motion of saidelements, shiftable yarn guide means for directing yarn into a selectedone of an adjacent pair of said notches, and pattern controlled meansfor actuating said shiftable yarn guide means.

6. In a tufting machine, a yarn feed mechanism comprising a pair ofcooperating yarn feeding members each being continuous and consisting ofa plurality of uniformly spaced slats arranged with the long dimensionsthereof parallel and extending longitudinally of said member and theshort dimensions thereof extending from said members to define freeedges, means for mounting said members with a plurality of said slats ineach of said members intermeshing and for advancing said elementsprogressively in parallel intermeshing relation, the slats of one ofsaid members being substantially the same and having alternating deepand shallow notches extending inwardly from the free edges thereof, theslats of the other of said members being substantially the same andhaving notches of uniform depth extending inwardly from the free edgesthereof, the corresponding notches in each of the slats of both of saidmembers being alined in the direction of motion of said slats, shiftableyarn guide means for directing yarn into a selected one of an adjacentpair of notches, and pattern controlled means for actuating saidshiftable yarn guide means.

7. In a tufting machine, a yarn feed mechanism comprising a pair of yarnfeed rolls each having a plurality of yarn engaging elements extendingradially from the periphery of said roll to define free edges andangularly spaced uniformly about the periphery of said roll, means formounting said feed rolls with a plurality of said elements intermeshingand for rotating said feed rolls to advance said elements progressivelyin parallel intermeshing relation, the elements of one of said feedrolls being substantially the same and having alternating deep andshallow notches extending inwardly from the free edges thereof with thecorresponding notches in each of said elements alined in a plane normalto the axis of said feed roll, shiftable yarn guide means for direct-ingyarn into a selected one of an adjacent pair of notches, and patterncontrolled means for actuating said shiftable yarn guide means.

8. In a tufting machine, a yarn feeding mechanism in accordance withclaim 7 in which the elements of the other of said members aresubstantially the same and have notches of uniform depth extendinginwardly from the free edges thereof with the corresponding notches ineach of said elements alined in a plane normal to the axis of said feedroll with each other and with the corresponding notches in the elementsof said one member.

9. In a tufting machine, a yarn feeding mechanism in accordance withclaim 7 in which said feed rolls are provided at the ends thereof withflanges having radially extending slots, and said elements compriseslats seated in said slots and in which they are secured by providingsplits in said flange between said slots and by means expanding saidflange to force the portions thereof between said splits and said slotsinto clamping engagement with said slats.

10. In a tufting machine, a yarn feeding mechanism comprising three yarnfeed rolls each having a plurality of yarn engaging elements extendingradially from the periphery of said roll to define free edges andangularly spaced uniformly about the periphery of said roll, means formounting said feed rolls with a plurality of the elements of one of saidfeed rolls intermeshing with the elements of both of the other of saidfeed rolls and for rotating said feed rolls to advance said elementsprogres sively in parallel intermeshing relation, the elements of saidone of said feed rolls being substantially the same andhavingalternating deep and shallow notches extending inwardly from thefree edges thereof with the corresponding notches in each of saidelements alined in a plane normal to the axis of said feed roll,shiftable yarn guide means for directing yarn into a selected one of anadja: cent pair of notches, and pattern controlled means for actuatingsaid shiftable yarn guide means.

11. In a tufting machine, a yarn feeding mechanism in accordance withclaim 10 in which the elements of both of the other of said feed rollsare substantially the same nad have notches of uniform depth extendinginwardly from the free edges thereof with corresponding notches in eachof said elements alined in a plane normal to the axis of said feed rollwith each other and with the corresponding notches in the elements ofsaid one feed roll.

12. In a tufting machine, a yarn feeding mechanism comprising a pair ofendless, flexible members each having a plurality of yarn engagingelements extending therefrom to define free edges and uniformly spacedalong said members, means for mounting said members with portionsthereof in substantially straight, opposed parallel runs and with theelements within said runs in intermeshing relation and for moving saidmembers to advance said elements progressively in parallel intermeshingrelation, the elements of one of said members being substantially thesame and having alternating deep and shallow notches extending inwardlyfrom the free edges thereof with the corresponding notches in each ofsaid elements alined in the direction of motion of said elements,shiftable yarn guide means for directing yarn into a selected one of anadjacent pair of notches, and pattern controlled means for actuatingsaid shiftable yarn guide means.

13. In a tufting machine, a y-arn feeding mechanism in accordance withclaim 12 in which the elements of the other of said members aresubstantially the same and have notches of uniform depth extendinginwardly from the free edges thereof with the corresponding notches ineach of said elements alined in the direction of motion of said elementswith each other :and with the corresponding notches in the elements ofsaid one member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,550,511 4/51Williams 151--23 2,853,032. 9/58 Odenweller 112-79.6 2,853,034 9/58Crawford l12-79.6 2,912,945 11/59 Now-icki 11279.6 2,932,339 4/60Odenweller 11279 X 2,935,037 5/60 Card 1l279.6

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. THOMAS J. HICKEY, Examiner.

1. IN A TUFTING MACHINE, A YARN FEEDING MECHANISM COMPRISING A PAIR OFCOOPERATING YARN FEEDING MEMBERS EACH CONSISTING OF A PLURALITY OFSPACED AND PARALLEL YARN ENGAGING ELEMENTS HAVING FREE EDGES, MEANS FORMOUNTING SAID MEMBERS WITH A PLURALITY OF SAID ELEMENTS IN SAID MEMBERINTERMESHING AND FOR ADVANCING SAID ELEMENTS PROGRESSIVELY IN PARALLELINTERMESHING RELATION, EACH OF THE ELEMENTS OF ONE OF SAID MEMBERSHAVING A SUSBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR ARRANGEMENT OF ADJACENT PAIRS OF NOTCHESEXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE FREE EDGE THEREOF, SAID PAIRS OF NOTCHESCOMPRISING A DEEP NOTCH AND A SHALLOW NOTCH, SAID ELEMENTS OF SAID ONEOF SAID PAIR OF MEMBERS BEING ARRANGED WITH THE CORRESPONDING NOTCHES INEACH OF SAID ELEMENTS ALINED IN THE DIRECTION OF MOTION OF SAIDELEMENTS, SHIFTABLE YARN GUIDE MEANS FOR DIRECTING A YARN SELECTIVELYINTO SAID SHALLOW NOTCHES AND SAID DEEP NOTCHES, AND PATTERN CONTROLLEDMEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID SHIFTABLE YARN GUIDE MEANS.